June-6, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
497 
Gleanings from the World of Science. 
LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
General Meeting, March I9th. 
Preglacial and Intekglacial Plants. —Mr. Clement Reid 
exhibited drawings by Mrs. Reid of fruits and seeds of British 
preglacial and interglacial plants (Tlialamiflorae). In each 
case the specimens illustrated were the earliest known represen¬ 
tatives of the species. Most of the plants are still living in 
Britain, but among the Thalamiflorae from the Cromer Forest- 
bed occur seeds of Hypecoum, a genus specially characteristic 
of the Mediterranean region, and no longer found living nearer 
than Southern France. The fossil seeds correspond closely with 
the living Hypecoum pendulum of Southern France, and either 
belong to that species or to a closely j allied extinct form. The 
seeds of all the species of Hypecoum are covered by a curious 
close mosaic of cubic crystals, apparently calcium oxalate, 
which fill square pits in the surface of the testa. Traces of 
these pits are still found on some of the fossil seeds. Mr. E. G. 
Baker, Dr. A. B. Rendle, and Professor J. B. Farmer joined in 
a discussion on the exhibition, and Mr. Reid replied. 
Poa laxa AND Poa STRICTA. —Mr. G. Claridge Druce read a 
paper “On Poa laxa and Poa stricta of our British Floras.” 
For some years past doubts have been expressed by critical 
botanists as to the correct naming of these two plants, and to 
clear up these doubts the author has examined the material in 
various herbaria—of the late Professor C. C. Babin.gton, the 
British collection at the British Museum, the specimens 
gathered by George Don on Loch-na-gar, the Boswell-Syme set, 
and Smith’s collection in the society’s possession. His conclu¬ 
sions are that the plants named by him Poa a.lpina, var. acuti- 
folia, and P. laxa, var. scotica, have been misunderstood and 
variously named ; he therefore gives detailed descriptions of 
these two plants, with synonymy so far as British flora are 
concerned. The paper was illustrated by specimens from the 
author’s herbarium, and the type-specimen of Poa flexuosa 
from Smith’s herbarium. Discussion followed by Mr. F. N. 
AVilliams, Mr. Henry Groves (who exhibited Scandinavian 
specimens of Poa arctica, P. alpina, P. laxia, and P. stricta), 
Professor J. B. Farmer, and Dr. A. B. Rendle ; and Mr. Druce 
replied. 
Botany of the Ceylon Patanas. —Next followed “ The 
Botany of the Ceylon Patanas, Part II.,” by Messrs. J. Parkin 
and H. H. W. Pearson, which was read by Mr. Parkin ; the 
paper was illustrated by lantern slides. In a former paper on 
the same subject (Pearson, Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. vol. xxxiv. 
1899, pp. 300-365) the main feature of these grassy' uplands, 
locally known as “ patanas,” were given, the probable causes 
which have led to their development discussed, and the general 
biological characters of their flora described. An account of 
the anatomical examination of the plants collected was pro¬ 
mised for a separate paper ; this communication is the fulfil¬ 
ment of the promise. The leaves of the 80 plants, representing 
about two-fifths of the Dicotyledons of the patanas, have been 
submitted to a close microscopical investigation, exact measure¬ 
ments made of several parts of their anatomy, and these, 
together with other details, arranged in the form of a table. 
Such data are compared for the plants as a whole, and after¬ 
wards for the “ wet ” and “ dry ” patana-plants separately. The 
difference between the two sets of leaves as regards xerophytic 
characters and those serving as protections against excessive 
illumination is very slight—a result hardly to be anticipated 
considering that tire conditions of soil and rainfall vary greatly 
for the two kinds of patana. The anatomy of erect and semi- 
erect leaves was investigated to see how far the structure cor¬ 
responds with the habit. Special points bearing on xerophyt- 
ism in the leaf-anatomy of some of the plants were described, 
and a few other matters of anatomical and physiological interest 
were brought to notice. The paper closed with a summary and 
some general remarks. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 
Scientific Committee. March 24th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters (in the chair), Messrs. Massee, 
a ^ n “® rs > Duncan, Shea, Gordon, Holmes, Bidgood, Chapman, 
and Douglas, Drs. Cooke and Rendle, Revs. W. Wilks and 
Henslow (hon. sec.). 
Orchid Seedlings. —Mr. Duncan inquired if the “ spring- 
tails ” (Podura) were injurious, as the seedlings were injured 
just above the ground. Mr. Saunders observed that such was 
undoubtedly the case. Air. Bidgood said that he had found 
a very weak solution of rectified spirit (g to 1 per cent.) was 
effective applied two or three times a week to the growing 
plants. 
Fruit Industry. —A communication was received from, the 
Board of Agriculture asking for opinions upon proposed legis 
lation for the protection of the fruit industry in this country. 
It was referred to a sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Shea, 
Saunders, Massee, and Dr. M. T. Masters to report. 
Mendel’s Law. —Captain Hurst sent an interesting descrip¬ 
tion of Air. Chapman’s Orchids, showing how the Mendelian 
Law was exemplified by them. It will be published in the 
Society’s “ Journal ” in full. 
Ant Destroyer. —-Air. Holmes directed attention to a very 
dangerous preparation of arsenic offered for sale without proper 
safeguards under the name of “ Ballikintrain Ant Destroyer.” 
The bottle shown contained about three-quarters of an ounce 
of arsenic and fifteen fluid ounces of syrup, or enough to poison 
150 adults. As it is recommended on the label that the pre¬ 
paration should be put on Vine rods, etc., it would probably 
prove either fatal to bees or poison their 'honey, since these in¬ 
sects eagerly steal sugar or a sugary solution wherever they find 
it, and if placed on stones, to dogs, to say nothing of children, 
who, finding a. sweet fluid in an ordinary bottle, might find it 
particularly attractive, the arsenic present being quite tasteless. 
The maker’s name is not on the bottle, but it is understood that 
the preparation is supplied by Alessrs. Alexander Cross and 
Sons, Limited, of Glasgow. It must be a very' profitable article 
to the manufacturers, as it costs less than 6d. a.nd sells for 
3s. 6d. The word poison is not on a separate label, and might 
be easily overlooked. The committee agreed with Air. Holmes 
that such a dangerous preparation ought not to be freely obtain¬ 
able by the public without proper restrictions as provided by 
the Pharmacy Act of 1868, especially as other effective insecti¬ 
cides, not poisonous to animals, are obtainable without 
difficulty. 
Scientific Committee. April 21st. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters (in the chair), Alessrs. Odell, 
Holmes, Saunders, Alassee, Chittenden, Drs. Cooke and 
Rendle, Prof. Boulger, Revs. Wilks and Henslow, hon. sec. 
Aroids, Coloured Foliage.— Sir T. Lawrence and Mr. Odell 
exhibited examples of yellow-spathed Richardias with leaves 
half-yellow. As the upper half of the leaf was spotted, it was 
suggestive of a possible dissociation of hybrid characters. Sir 
Trevor also sent a specimen of Anthurium scherzerianum with 
a leaf half crimson and half green. 
Argotti Botanic Gardens, Malta. —Dr. Debono sent an 
account of numerous additions, etc., to these gardens, which 
will form a supplement to the paper upon Alalta in the 
“Journal” of the society. 
Narcissus with Second Corona. —Flowers were sent to the 
last meeting by Air. R. O. Backhouse, Sutton Court, near Here¬ 
ford, upon which Dr. Alasters reported as follows : “ The flowers 
show a series of outgrowths from the outer surface of the cup 
or corona. They resemble those of the ‘ frilled ’ Daffodils ; but 
in this case the supplementary growths are at the base only, 
and are tubular or trumpet-shaped, the mouth of the trumpet 
being directed outwards. In some cases the outgrowths are so 
numerous and so regular that they constitute a second corona 
on the outside of the normal cup, thus resembling the ‘ cata- 
corolla ’ of some Gloxinias.” 
Crane Fly Grubs. —Grubs were sent by Mr. Millbum from 
Bath, also those known as “Daddy Long-legs.” Mr. Saun¬ 
ders observed that “ they are sometimes known as ‘ leather- 
jackets,’ from the toughness of the skin, which prevents insec¬ 
ticides from affecting them. A strong solution of common 
salt or nitrate of soda is distasteful to them, and helps the 
plants they are attacking. These grubs often come to tha 
surface at night, and subsequently take shelter under turf, 
boards, etc. If slates and tiles be laid about, they should be 
turned over in the morning. Various birds— e.g., rooks, 
starlings, plovers, partridges, and pheasants—devour them. 
Towards autumn, when the insects are about, rolling the grass 
will kill numbers of the flies.” 
